Method for the automated operation of a greenhouse, supply facility and automated greenhouse

ABSTRACT

A method for the automated operation of a greenhouse which has at least one first plant growth room which is operated without artificial lighting and which has at least one second plant growth room which is different from the first plant growth room and which is equipped with artificial light sources for generating artificial light. An associated supply device and an associated greenhouse can be operated automatically.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)to European Patent Application No. 19191784.8, filed Aug. 14, 2019(pending), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a method for the automated operation of agreenhouse, as well as an associated supply device and an associatedautomatically operated greenhouse.

BACKGROUND

WO 2019/109006 A1 describes a system for the production of agriculturalfoodstuffs in buildings with several floors, the so-called verticalfarms.

SUMMARY

The object of the invention is to create a method for the automatedoperation of a greenhouse which enables the production of agriculturalfoodstuffs in buildings in a particularly economical manner, inparticular with low personnel requirements with high energy efficiency.Further objects of the invention are to provide a corresponding supplydevice and a greenhouse with which the method according to the inventioncan be carried out in an automated manner.

The object is achieved by a method for the automated operation of agreenhouse which has at least one first plant growth room which isoperated without artificial lighting and which has at least one secondplant growth room which is different from the first plant growth roomand which is equipped with artificial lighting means for generatingartificial light, comprising the steps:

-   -   automatically transporting back and forth of at least one plant        carrier equipped with plants by means of an automatically        controlled transport device between the first plant growth room        and the second plant growth room, wherein the automatically        controlled transport device is designed and set up as follows:    -   leaving the at least one plant carrier for the duration of a        first time segment in the first plant growth space, so that the        plants stored on the at least one plant carrier develop further        in the first plant growth space for the duration of the first        time segment without the influence of artificial light, and    -   leaving the at least one plant carrier for the duration of a        second time segment different from the first time segment in the        second plant growth space, so that the plants stored on the at        least one plant carrier develop further in the second plant        growth space under the influence of artificial light for the        duration of the second time segment.

The method according to the invention relates to the automated operationof a greenhouse. In particular, the method according to the invention isintended for vertical farming. In contrast to general agriculturalgreenhouses, which are generally operated on a single planting level andonly use natural sunlight to grow the plants, vertical farming providesfor the use of artificial light, so that based on the use of artificiallight sources at several height levels, plants that are positioned ontop of each other in several levels can thrive.

The technologies known so far for vertical farming are still in thedevelopment stage and are usually based on greenhouses that are operatedon one or more levels. The plants are grown by aeroponics orhydroponics. In connection with lighting technology for plant growth andventilation systems, the plants flourish until harvest within thebuilding or on the shelf of the system, i.e. the greenhouses.

In the known shelf systems for vertical farming, automated technology isused in a manner very similar to high-bay storage technology forlogistics systems. This technology, which includes manual or automaticstorage and retrieval machines, handles shelf-mounted andinterchangeable tubs in which the plants thrive. In order to harvest theplants, workers move on the storage and retrieval machines or the tubsare transported to the harvesting area using complex conveyortechnology. The tub can be shell-like and/or closed-walled, that is tosay watertight. The tubs contain the plant carrier or the plantcarriers. The tubs remain in the greenhouse, where, however, the plantcarriers can be removed from the tubs and, for example, removed during aharvest. The plant carriers can for example have a fixed frame, inparticular an aluminum frame. The frame defines a grid on which theplants are arranged. The grid can be designed to be closely meshed.

In order to be able to operate the use of technologies similar towarehouse technology economically, it is necessary to use heights thatare as high as possible, for example 8 to 20 meters, in order to get bywith as few storage and retrieval devices as possible and with a smallstorage area. Stationary storage on the shelf also has the disadvantagethat it is necessary to create different climate zones within a room.For example, it is necessary to generate day and night by having thelighting systems switched on for a few hours, i.e. in operation, andswitched off, i.e. out of operation, for a few hours. For the optimumclimate, the temperature and humidity of the air in the room must beregulated. In particular, in vertical farms (without intermediateceilings) at very high heights, for example over 5 meters and more, ittends to be too warm at the upper height levels and too cold at lowerheight levels. This means that with known vertical farms it is difficultto achieve a nearly constant climate over a high height. With thetechnical solution according to the invention, room heights of, forexample, 2.5 meters can be managed, so that the disadvantages mentionedcannot arise.

A new vertical farm usually has to be set up in newly built buildingcomplexes that are designed solely for this purpose. The use of existingbuildings requires extensive floor renovations in order to be able touse automatic storage and retrieval machines. In order to be able toinstall high, automatable shelf structures, the warehouse floor wouldalso have to adhere to narrow tolerances, for example according toapplicable standards, such as FEM 9.841.

With the method for the automated operation of a greenhouse, a solutionis created with which the production of agricultural foodstuffs inbuildings is possible in a particularly economical manner, in particularwith low personnel requirements and high energy efficiency. Inparticular, existing buildings, such as high-rise buildings or abandonedfactories, especially in large cities, can be converted into alternativeuses as greenhouses.

The invention provides, among other things, that artificial lighting isnot permanently assigned to every plant or plant carrier and a day/nightchange is simulated by switching the artificial lighting on and off, butthat the lighting means of the artificial lighting present according tothe invention are preferably switched on permanently, that is, emitlight and to simulate the day/night change, the plants or the plantcarriers are automatically brought into the first plant growth room forthe duration of the first time segment (simulated night time), which isoperated without artificial lighting and for the duration of the secondtime segment (simulated time of day) are automatically brought into thesecond plant growth room, which is equipped with artificial lightsources to generate artificial light.

The plants can in particular be plants that serve as food for livingbeings, for example vegetables, fruit, culinary herbs, tea plants.However, the plants can also be other useful plants, such as medicinalplants, cosmetic plants or aromatic plants.

The plant carrier located in the tub forms a receptacle for the requiredsubstrate on which the plants thrive. At the same time, the plantcarrier has the function of carrying the plants planted in thesubstrate. The respective plant carrier can be designed to receive asingle plant. Alternatively, the respective plant carrier can bedesigned to accommodate several plants at the same time, in particularthe same plant species and/or plant variety. Several plant carriers canbe arranged on the same level. Alternatively or in addition, severalplant carriers can be arranged on several different height levels. Themultiple plant carriers can in particular be placed in one or more tubson a common mobile shelf stand and thereby be automatically transportedtogether with the mobile shelf stand. Each tub can have one or moreplant carriers.

At least one automatically controlled transport device is used forautomatically transporting the tubs with plant carriers together withthe shelf stand. The one transport device or the plurality of transportdevices can be ground-based vehicles that are automatically navigated.The vehicles can be designed, for example, in the form of driverlesstransport systems (AGVs) known per se. Alternatively, the vehicles canbe designed in the manner of mobile robots.

The automatic transport takes place according to one or more embodimentsof the method according to the invention and can be controlled by acontrol device that is designed according to one or more embodiments ofthe method according to the invention and is set up accordingly to carryout the method, for example by means of a stored program. This can takeplace in that the control device controls the at least one transportdevice accordingly, moves it and at least navigates back and forthbetween the first plant growth space and the second plant growth space.

Transporting the at least one plant carrier back and forth by means ofthe transport device means optionally changing the current positionand/or location of the plant carrier not only out of the first plantgrowth room and into the second plant growth room, but also changing thecurrent position and/or location of the plant carrier out of the secondplant growth room and into the first plant growth room. Furthermore, theback and forth transport also includes moving the at least one plantcarrier to another room or station, such as the analysis stationaccording to the invention or the loading station according to theinvention, as well as retrieving the at least one plant carrier fromanother room or another station, such as from the analysis stationaccording to the invention or from the loading station according to theinvention.

The respective duration of the first time segment in which the plantsdevelop further without the influence of artificial light in the firstplant growth room, and the respective duration of the second timesegment in which the plants develop further under the influence ofartificial light in the second plant growth room can be determinedindividually. The respective duration of the first time segment and ofthe second time segment can be determined, for example, as a function ofthe plant species. The respective duration of the first time segment andthe second time segment can, however, also be selected as a function ofother parameters, such as, for example, the temperature and/or thehumidity of the surroundings of the plants. This can vary depending onthe type of plant. To simulate an average natural day/night rhythm, forexample, the duration of the first time segment and the duration of thesecond time segment can each be set at 12 hours.

In the method according to the invention, an analysis station can beused in a greenhouse, which is designed to detect the biological stateof plants with regard to at least one biological parameter, and theautomatically controlled transport device is designed and set up toremove the at least one plant carrier from the first plant growth roomor to automatically transport it from the second plant growth room tothe analysis station, so that the plants stored on the at least oneplant carrier can be recorded at the analysis station with regard to atleast one biological parameter.

The analysis station can be its own analysis room which is separate fromthe first plant growth room and the second plant growth room.Alternatively, the analysis station can be integrated into the firstplant growth room or the second plant growth room. The analysis stationcan also be located in a transfer path between the first plant growthroom and the second plant growth room. The analysis station is inparticular operated unmanned, i.e. operated automatically. The analysisstation has appropriate sensors for this purpose, which record therequired parameters. If these parameters are not met, the plant carrierand/or the shelf stand can be moved to a manual control station (e.g. toquarantine).

In general, any desired biological condition can be recorded, analyzedand evaluated at the analysis station. Depending on the detected,analyzed and/or assessed biological state, the control device can be setup to assign the plant carrier with the analyzed plants either to thefirst plant growth room or the second plant growth room or to assign theplant carrier to the loading station. The loading station can bedesigned to bring the plants or the plant carriers out of thegreenhouse, be it for the intended use or for sorting out.

According to a further development of the method according to theinvention, the growth state of the plants, pest infestation of theplants, a degree of moisture in the plant substrate of the plants and/ora nutrient content of the plant substrate of the plants can be recordedas biological parameters at the analysis station.

The control device of the greenhouse can be designed and set up, forexample depending on the recorded, analyzed and/or assessed biologicalstate of the growth state of the plants, the degree of moisture of theplant substrate of the plants and/or the nutrient content of the plantsubstrate of the plants, to automatically move the plant carriers bymeans of the transport devices for an extended duration or a shortenedduration into the first or second plant growth room and, in particularin the case of the second plant growth room, to couple the plantcarriers to the supply devices according to the invention in order to,depending on the recorded, analyzed and/or assessed biological state ofthe plants or the plant substrates, to supply more or less water,nutrient solution and/or conditioned air and/or to suction off usednutrient solution.

In the method according to the invention, the at least one plant carrierequipped with plants can be stored in a mobile shelf stand which has atleast two storage levels for carrying plant carriers and an accessopening between each two storage levels, and the mobile shelf stand canbe transported by means of an automatically controlled, ground-basedvehicle as a transport device into the second plant growth room, and themobile shelf stand can be automatically moved by means of the vehicle toa supply device positioned in the second plant growth room, such thatthe supply means of the supply device reaches from the outside themobile shelf stand via the access opening of the mobile shelf stand intothe interior of the mobile shelf stand, so that the supply means of thesupply device can supply the plants present in the plant carriersaccordingly, as long as the mobile shelf stand is coupled to the supplydevice.

The mobile shelf stand can achieve its mobility in that it is designedin such a way that the mobile shelf stand can be driven under by one ofthe transport devices and the mobile shelf stand can be lifted by thetransport device and automatically moved on a surface by automaticallydriving the transport device. The transport device can have a liftingdevice for this purpose. The transport device or the lifting device canbe designed, for example, according to WO 2017/167436 A1.

The mobile shelf stand can have at least two or more storage levels. Thestorage levels are preferably arranged one above the other andvertically aligned with one another on the shelf stand. Each storagelevel can have a tub or each storage level or each storage level can bea tub in which one or more plant carriers can be stored. The plantcarriers can be removed from the tubs. The plant carriers can, forexample, have a frame and, as the bottom surface, a grid or a net, onwhich, for example, the plant substrate is applied. The plants grow inthe plant substrate.

The mobile shelf stand can have feet so that a shelf stand that is notlifted by the transport device cannot be moved and the mobility of theshelf stand is only established when the shelf stand is raised by thetransport device. Alternatively, the shelf stand can have rollers orwheels instead of feet, so that the shelf stand can be moved by means ofthe rollers or wheels without the shelf stand having to be lifted by atransport device. In such an embodiment, the shelf stand then forms ashelf trolley. The shelf trolley can, for example, be towed by anautonomous vehicle or pushed manually by a person.

The access opening or the access openings can already be formed by freespacings between the storage levels or the plant carriers on the shelfstand. This can be the case in particular when the shelf stand is formedonly by shelves or rails that are positioned on preferably four verticalcolumns of the shelf stand and kept at a distance.

The one transport device or the plurality of transport devices can beground-based vehicles that are automatically navigated. The vehicles canbe designed, for example, in the form of driverless transport systems(AGVs) known per se. Alternatively, the vehicles can be designed in themanner of mobile robots.

Several supply devices can be provided. Several supply devices can eachform a supply module, wherein the supply devices can be individualcomponents of a modular system. Each supply device can be provided withstandardized interfaces so that two or more supply devices can be linkedtogether to form a network.

The supply means are devices that are attached to the supply device andare designed to supply the plants and the plant carriers, in particularthe plant substrate in the plant carriers, with the correspondingoperating means, such as air, water, light and nutrients, when themobile shelf stand is coupled to the respective supply device.

If the supply means reach beyond the access openings of the mobile shelfstand into the interior of the mobile shelf stand, the plants or theplant carriers in the immediate vicinity can be supplied with thecorresponding operating means, such as air, water, light and nutrients,in particular by, for example, the light, the water and the nutrientsbeing applied from above to the plants or the plant substrate in theplant carriers.

In a first embodiment, the supply devices can be stationary supplydevices which are permanently installed in the second plant growthspace. For this purpose, a single supply device or several supplydevices can be attached, for example, to a room wall of the second plantgrowth room or, in particular, facing away from each other, opposite toan intermediate wall that extends into the room of the second plantgrowth room.

In a second embodiment, the supply devices can be designed as mobilesupply devices.

The mobile supply device can have feet, so that a supply device that hasnot been lifted by the transport device cannot be driven, but themobility of the supply device occurs when the supply device is lifted bythe transport device. Alternatively, the supply device can have rollersor wheels instead of feet, so that the supply device can be moved bymeans of the rollers or wheels without the supply device having to belifted by a transport device. In such an embodiment, the supply devicethen forms a rolling supply device.

The object is also achieved by a supply device according to theinvention for a greenhouse, comprising:

-   -   a base support,    -   at least two cantilever beams arranged at different heights on        the base support, each of which has at least one supply means        which is designed to act on a plant in a plant carrier when the        plant support is coupled to the supply device,    -   at least one operating means connection which is designed to        supply at least one operating means provided from a supply        network for supplying the plants to the supply means.

The base support can be formed, for example, by an at leastsubstantially vertically extending rear wall. The base support or therear wall can be made hollow, so that supply lines can run in the hollowbase support or in the hollow rear wall, which lead to the cantileversupports, i.e. to the supply means.

The cantilever beams extend at least substantially horizontally awayfrom the base support or the rear wall. The supply means are arranged onthe respective underside of the cantilever beams. If a plant carrier iscoupled to the supply device, then the cantilever beams and thus thesupply means cover the plants and the plant substrate present in theplant carriers and the plants or the plant carriers can be supplied withthe corresponding operating means, such as air, water, light andnutrients in close proximity, in particular in that, for example, thelight, the water and the nutrients are applied from above to the plantsor the plant substrate in the plant carriers and thereby act on theplants.

The operating means connection can have one or more plugs, socketsand/or couplings. Each plug, each socket and/or each coupling isdesigned according to its operating means to be transmitted. Theoperating means can in particular be composed of electrical energy,water, nutrient solutions and air. The electrical energy can not onlyserve to supply electrical light sources to generate the artificiallight for the plants, but the electrical energy can also be used to, forexample, automatically control valves for the water supply, for thefresh air supply or to open or close the suction of used nutrientsolution. The electrical energy can also supply electrical heating meansof the supply device, which heating means can be designed to preheat thewater, the nutrient solution, or the air. The electrical energy can alsobe used to operate fans of the supply device.

The resources are electrical energy, water, the nutrient solution and/orair.

In a first embodiment, the operating means at the supply device can beelectrical energy and the supply means can be at least one electricallighting means, which is designed to be operated by the electricalenergy to emit light in a light spectrum that promotes plant growth in adirection in which the plants are irradiated with this light when theplant carrier with the plants is coupled to the supply device.

At the supply device, in an alternative or supplementary secondembodiment, the operating means can be water or a nutrient solution andthe supply medium can be at least one outlet nozzle which is designed todeliver the water or the nutrient solution so that the plants or a plantsubstrate of the plants can receive the water or absorb the nutrientsolution when the plant carrier with the plants is coupled to the supplydevice.

In an alternative or supplementary third embodiment, the operating meansat the supply device can be a negative pressure and the supply mediumcan be at least one suction nozzle which is designed to suction up wastewater or used nutrient solution from a plant substrate of the plantswhen the plant carrier with the plants is coupled to the supply device.

In an alternative or supplementary fourth embodiment, the operatingmeans at the supply device can be conditioned air and the supply mediumcan be at least one air-conditioning nozzle which is designed to emitconditioned air, so that the plants are supplied with the conditionedair when the plant carrier with the plants is coupled to the supplydevice.

In all embodiments of the supply device, the operating means connectioncan have at least one coupling means which is designed to connect the atleast one supply means of the supply device to a supply network in astate coupled to a counter-coupling means of a greenhouse or a furthersupply device, so that the operating means can be supplied to the plantsvia the supply means when the plant carrier with the plants is coupledto the supply device.

The coupling means can have one or more plugs, sockets and/or couplings.Each plug, each socket and/or each coupling is designed according to itsoperating means to be transmitted. The operating means can in particularbe composed of electrical energy, water, nutrient solutions and air.

The counter-coupling means can comprise one or more plugs, socketsand/or couplings. Each plug, each socket and/or each coupling isdesigned according to its operating means to be transmitted. Theoperating means can in particular be composed of electrical energy,water, nutrient solutions and air. The counter-coupling means isdesigned to correspond to the coupling means, i.e. designed to interactwith the coupling means in the plugged-together state, in such a waythat the corresponding operating means can be transferred in theplugged-together state.

In the case of the supply device, the operating means connection can beformed by at least one coupling means and at least one counter-couplingmeans, so that two or more supply devices can be coupled to one anotherin series or in parallel in order to be able to supply the two or moresupply devices with the operating means via a common supply networkconnection.

In the case of a serial arrangement of two or more supply devices, thesupply devices can be set up next to one another and each connected viatheir coupling means and counter-coupling means one after the other forthe transmission of the operating means. It is sufficient if a singleone of the plurality of supply devices is directly connected to thesupply network and the other supply devices in each case are indirectlysupplied with the operating means via this one supply device directlyconnected to the supply network.

In the case of a parallel arrangement of several supply devices, thesupply devices can be arranged, for example, on opposite sides of anintermediate wall, wherein the operating means are branched, so tospeak, over two or more lines in groups to the several supply devices.

On the supply device, the at least two cantilever beams arranged atdifferent heights on the base support can be formed by ceiling wallswhich protrude from the base beam in a horizontal plane and which havedownward-facing wall surfaces, on which the at least one supply means isarranged and which are formed to cover, at least substantially, plantcarriers of the transport device in each case assigned in a referenceplane when the plant carrier with the plants is coupled to the supplydevice.

In a first embodiment variant, the ceiling walls can be designed to beclosed and flat. In a modified second embodiment variant, the ceilingwalls can be formed by individual struts or grid surfaces, which canthen also have breakthroughs or openings.

The wall surfaces pointing downwards can accordingly also optionally bedesigned to be closed and planar or be formed by individual struts orgrid surfaces of the ceiling walls, which can then also havebreakthroughs or openings.

The object is also solved by an automated greenhouse, comprising:

-   -   at least one first plant growth room that is designed to be        operated without artificial lighting,    -   at least one second plant growth room which is different from        the first plant growth room and which is equipped with        artificial lighting means for generating artificial light,    -   at least one supply device arranged in the second plant growth        space according to one or more of the embodiments described,    -   at least one mobile shelf stand which has at least two storage        levels for carrying plant carriers and an access opening between        each two storage levels,    -   at least one ground-based vehicle which is designed to receive        the at least one mobile shelf stand, so that the mobile shelf        stand can be transported back and forth between the first plant        growth room and the second plant growth room by means of the        floor-bound vehicle, and    -   a control device which is designed and set up to automatically        control the at least one ground-based vehicle and the at least        one supply device arranged in the second plant growth room        according to one or more of the embodiments described, such that        the greenhouse according to one or more of the embodiments of        the method according to the invention is operated automatically.

In a first development, the greenhouse can have an analysis stationwhich is designed to detect the biological state of plants with regardto at least one biological parameter when a plant carrier with plants ispositioned at the analysis station, wherein the analysis station hassensors which are designed to automatically detect as biologicalparameters the growth state of the plants, pest infestation of theplants, a degree of moisture in the plant substrate of the plants and/ora nutrient content of the plant substrate of the plants.

In a second development, the greenhouse can, as an alternative or inaddition to an analysis station, have a loading station that is designedto automatically receive plants, plant carriers and/or mobile shelfstands into the greenhouse or automatically remove them from thegreenhouse, wherein the control device is designed and set up to the toautomatically transport mobile shelf stands from the first plant growthroom or the second plant growth room to the loading station by means ofthe at least one ground-based vehicle and to automatically transportthem back from the loading station to the first plant growth room or thesecond plant growth room.

The solution according to the invention is shown again in the following,in part in other words. The invention proposes a flexible shelf andtransport system. A system consisting of vehicles (transport devices)and mobile shelf stands can be used as a basis for this. The basicsystem can comprise horizontally moving automatic moving units which areable to accommodate, transport and position mobile shelves. The shelvesare tailored to the application. In addition to the mobile shelf, thesolution provides in particular so-called supply modules, i.e. supplydevices. The supply modules can contain all the supply lines for water,nutrient solution, lighting, ventilation, but also wastewater disposalrequired for the growth of the plant culture. The supply module can bedesigned singularly or as a regular matrix. For example, individualsupply modules can be positioned along a wall or in the room as adoubled module (back to back). The supply modules can be coupled withone another so that only one decentralized supply and removal of media(e.g. electricity, water, etc.) is required for each row of shelves.

The system structure provides that the empty shelves are fed to aloading station, for example by means of a driverless transport system(AGV), transport vehicle or a mobile robot. In the loading station, thetubs in which the plant seeds in the plant carriers are introducedtogether with the substrate can be inserted manually or automaticallyinto the mobile shelf. The transport vehicle moves the mobile shelf withthe tubs, for example, into the germination area of the plant, whereideal conditions exist for the plant to germinate. After germination,the shelf is transferred, for example, to the plant's growth area by thetransport vehicle. In the growing area there is an ideal climate for theyoung plants to grow further. The growing area can in turn be subdividedinto bright, illuminated rooms and dark rooms. In the dark rooms thereare no lights that the plant needs for growth. The lights necessary forgrowth are installed in the bright rooms. This allows the use of lightsto be reduced and optimized.

In the course of the regular transport between “dark” and “light” rooms,which is called on during stationary process, the transport vehicleswith the shelves pass through an identification station (analysisstation). Here, the condition of the plants on the shelf can be checkedand documented at a central point. Based on the determined condition ofthe plants on the mobile shelf, decisions can be made regarding furtherprocessing or special processes (e.g. sorting).

At the end of the growth phase, the shelves are brought to theharvesting station by the transport vehicle. There the plant carriersare unloaded from the tubs and the plants are harvested manually orautomatically from the plant carrier. The tubs and the plant carrier(with growth flow) are sent for cleaning or disposal. The transportvehicle moves the mobile shelves back into the loading station.

In order to make the system as flexible as possible, all supply linesrequired for plant growth can be integrated in the supply module. Theseare connected to one another by means of suitable quick-connect systems.The transport vehicle transports the mobile shelves together with thetubs to the supply module and positions them there in such a way thatthe media supply is guaranteed.

The advantage of this system is, in addition to the high flexibility,also the modularity in the system structure, which enables small, mediumor large systems to be built. The systems can be set up on one level orover several levels, with each level being self-sufficient. Due to thehigh modularity of the transport vehicle, of the mobile shelves, butalso of the supply units, the system can be moved easily and flexiblyand set up at another location. Due to the modularity, it is alsopossible to transport the shelf module completely to the consumer asfresh goods in a shopping center or in a catering business, for example.

A specific embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail inthe following description with reference to the accompanying figures.Specific features of this exemplary embodiment can represent generalfeatures of the invention regardless of the specific context in whichthey are mentioned, possibly also considered individually or in furthercombinations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of theinvention and, together with a general description of the inventiongiven above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explainthe principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of an embodiment of a greenhouseaccording to the principles of the present disclosure, with a firstplant growth room and a second plant growth room,

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective illustration of a supply deviceaccording to the principles of the present disclosure in isolation,

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view through the supply device accordingto FIG. 2 in isolation,

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view through the supply device accordingto FIG. 2 with a coupled plant carrier in the form of a mobile shelfstand,

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective representation of the plant carrier inthe form of a mobile shelf stand together with an automaticallycontrolled transport device according to the principles of the presentdisclosure,

FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view through a storage level of themobile shelf stand according to FIG. 5 with a tub and two substrateswith plants, and

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective illustration of an exemplary systemarrangement of several supply devices, several plant carriers in theform of mobile shelf stands and several automatically controlledtransport devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1, the basic method according to the principlesof the present disclosure for the automated operation of a greenhouse 1is explained in more detail below with reference to the greenhouse 1shown schematically in a top view.

The greenhouse 1 has at least one first plant growth room 2.1, which isoperated without artificial lighting. In addition, the greenhouse 1 hasat least one second plant growth room 2.2 which is different from thefirst plant growth room 2.1 and which is equipped with artificiallighting means 3 for generating artificial light.

The method has the following steps:

-   -   automatically transporting back and forth (see arrows) of at        least one plant carrier 5 (FIG. 5) equipped with plants 4        (FIG. 5) by means of an automatically controlled transport        device 6 between the first plant growth room 2.1 and the second        plant growth room 2.2, wherein the automatically controlled        transport device 6 is designed and set up as follows:    -   to leave the at least one plant carrier 5 in the first plant        growth room 2.1 for the duration of a first time segment, so        that the plants 4 stored on the at least one plant carrier 5        develop in the first plant growth room 2.1 for the duration of        the first time segment without the influence of artificial        light, and    -   to leave the at least one plant carrier 5 in the second plant        growth room 2.2 for the duration of a second time segment        different from the first time segment, so that the plants 4        stored on the at least one plant carrier 5 develop in the second        plant growth room 2.2 for the duration of the second time        segment under the influence of artificial light of the        artificial lighting means 3.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the automaticallycontrolled transport device 6 comprises a plurality of vehicles 6.1 to6.4, which can also be referred to as mobile robots.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, thegreenhouse 1 also has an analysis station 2.3 which is designed torecord the biological state of plants 4 with regard to at least onebiological parameter. The automatically controlled transport device 6 isor the several vehicles 6.1 to 6.4 or mobile robots are designed and setup to automatically transport the at least one plant carrier 4 from thefirst plant growth room 2.1 or from the second plant growth room 2.2 tothe analysis station 2.3, so that the plants 4 stored on the at leastone plant carrier 5 can be recorded at the analysis station 2.3 withregard to at least one biological parameter.

At the analysis station 2.3, the growth state of the plants 4, a pestinfestation of the plants 4, a degree of moisture in the plant substrateof the plants 4 and/or a nutrient content of the plant substrate of theplants 4 can be recorded as biological parameters.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the analysis station2.3 is designed to detect the biological state of plants 4 with regardto at least one biological parameter when a plant carrier 5 with plants4 is positioned at the analysis station 2.3, wherein the analysisstation 2.3 has sensors 15 that are designed to automatically detect asbiological parameters the growth state of the plants 4, a pestinfestation of the plants 4, a degree of moisture in the plant substrateof the plants 4 and/or a nutrient content of the plant substrate of theplants 4.

The automatically operated greenhouse 1 accordingly has, in addition tothe first plant growth room 2.1 and the second plant growth room 2.2,one or more supply devices 10 arranged in the second plant growth room2.2. The automatically operated greenhouse 1 also comprises the multiplemobile shelf stands 7 and multiple ground-based vehicles 6.1 to 6.4. Inaddition, the automatically operated greenhouse 1 comprises at least onecontrol device 14, which is designed and set up to automatically controlthe at least one ground-based vehicle 6.1 to 6.4 and the supply devices10 arranged in the second plant growth room 2.2, in such a way that thegreenhouse is operated according to a method as described according tothe invention.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the greenhouse 1 alsohas a loading station 16 which is designed to automatically accommodateplants 4, plant carriers 5 and/or mobile shelf stands 7 in thegreenhouse 1 or to automatically remove them from the greenhouse 1,wherein the control device 14 is designed and set up to automaticallytransport the respective mobile shelf stand 7 by means of the at leastone ground-based vehicle 6.1 to 6.4 from the first plant growth room 2.1or the second plant growth room 2.2 to the load charging station 16 andautomatically transport them back again from the loading station 16 intothe first plant growth room 2.1 or the second plant growth room 2.2.

As can be seen in particular in FIG. 5, several plant carriers 5equipped with several plants 4 can be stored in a mobile shelf stand 7.As can be seen in particular in the sectional illustration in FIG. 6,each plant carrier 5 can comprise a tub 5.1, which can be designed likea shell and/or with closed walls. The tubs 5.1 contain at least onesubstrate carrier 5.2, which in this respect forms the plant carrier 5for the plants 4. The tubs 5.1 remain in the greenhouse 1 or on themobile shelf stand 7, where, however, the plant carriers 5 designed assubstrate carriers 5.2 can be removed from the tubs 5.1 and can beremoved, for example, during a harvest. The plant carriers 5 can forexample have a fixed frame, in particular an aluminum frame. The framedelimits a grid on which the plants 4 are arranged. The grid can bedesigned to be closely meshed. Each storage level can have a tub 5.1 oreach storage level can be formed by a tub 5.1, in which one or moreplant carriers 5, i.e. substrate carriers 5.2, can be stored. In thisrespect, the substrate carriers 5.2 can be removed from the trays 5.1.The substrate carriers 5.2 can, for example, have a frame and, as thebottom surface, a grid or a net, on which, for example, the plantsubstrate is applied. The plants 4 grow in the plant substrate.

The mobile shelf stand 7 has at least two, in the case of the exemplaryembodiment shown in FIG. 5, exactly four storage levels for carryingplant carriers 5 and an access opening 8 between each two storagelevels. The mobile shelf stand 7 can be transported as a transportdevice 6 into the second plant growth room 2.2 by means of one of theautomatically controlled, ground-based vehicles 6.1 to 6.4. There themobile shelf stand 7 is automatically moved by the vehicle 6.1 to 6.4 toa supply device 10 (FIGS. 2 to 4) positioned in the second plant growthspace 2.2, in such a way that the supply means 9 (FIG. 3, 4) of thesupply device 10 reach from outside the mobile shelf stand 7 via theaccess openings 8 of the mobile shelf stand 7 into the interior of themobile shelf stand 7 so that the supply means 9 of the supply device 10can supply the plants 4 present in the plant carriers 5 as long as themobile shelf stand 7 is coupled to the supply device 10, as shown inFIG. 4.

The supply device 10 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 to 4. The supplydevice 10 comprises a base support 11, at least two cantilever beams12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 arranged at different heights on the base support11, of which each cantilever beam 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 has at leastone supply means 9 which is designed to act on one plant 4 or moreplants 4 in a plant carrier 5 when the plant carrier 5 is coupled to thesupply device 10 (FIG. 4), and at least one operating means connection13 which is designed to provide at least one operating medium providedfrom a supply network for supplying the plants 4 to the supply means 9.

One of the operating means can be electrical energy and the supply means9 can be at least one electrical lighting means 9.1, which is designed,operated by the electrical energy, to emit light in a light spectrumpromoting plant growth in a direction in which the plants 4 areirradiated with this light when the plant carrier 5 with the plants 4 iscoupled to the supply device 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, a supplementary second operating mediumis water or a nutrient solution, wherein the supply means 9 is at leastone outlet nozzle 9.2, which is designed to deliver the water or thenutrient solution, so that the plants 4 or a plant substrate of theplants 4 can receive the water or the nutrient solution when the plantcarrier 5 with the plants 4 is coupled to the supply device 10. Eachsupply means 9 can be arranged vertically aligned as shown in thefigures. In general, one or more of the supply means 9 can, however,deviate from the illustrated embodiment with a vertical arrangement, forexample, also be designed rotated by 90 degrees in a horizontalarrangement. For example, instead of irrigating the plants 4 verticallyfrom top to bottom, the outlet nozzles 9.2 can be designed to moistenthe substrate horizontally from left to right at the level of the tubs5.1 or at the level of the substrate carriers 5.2. Independently ofthis, the suction nozzles 9.3 can also suction from the side instead offrom the bottom up. In addition, the air-conditioning nozzles 9.4 canalso be designed, instead of generating a vertical air flow, as shown,to generate a horizontal air flow.

In the illustrated embodiment, a supplementary third operating means isa negative pressure, wherein the supply means 9 is at least one suctionnozzle 9.3, which is designed to suction up wastewater or used nutrientsolution from a plant substrate of the plants 4 when the plant carrier 5with the plants 4 is coupled to the supply device 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, a supplementary fourth operating means isconditioned air and the supply means 9 is at least one air-conditioningnozzle 9.4, which is designed to emit conditioned air, so that theplants 4 are supplied with the conditioned air when the plant carrier 5with the plants 4 is coupled to the supply device 10.

As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the supply device 10 has the operatingmeans connection 13. The operating means connection 13 has at least onecoupling means 13.1 which is designed, in a state coupled to acounter-coupling means 13.2 of the greenhouse 1 (FIG. 3) or to acounter-coupling means 13.3 of a further supply device 10, to connectthe at least one supply means 9 of the supply device 10 to a supplynetwork, so that the operating means can be supplied to the plants 4 viathe supply means 9 when the plant carrier 5 with the plants 4 is coupledto the supply device 10.

As FIG. 2 also shows, the operating means connection 13 can be formed byat least one coupling means 13.1 and at least one counter-coupling means13.3, so that two or more supply devices can be coupled to one anotherin series or in parallel (see FIG. 1) in order to be able to supply thetwo or several supply devices 10 with the operating means via a commonsupply network connection 13.4.

FIGS. 2 to 4 show how the supply device 10 can have at least two, in thecase of the present exemplary embodiment exactly four, cantilever beams12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 arranged on the base beam 11 at differentheights, which are each designed as ceiling walls projecting from thebase support 11 in a horizontal plane. The projecting ceiling walls havedownwardly facing wall surfaces on which the supply means 9 are arrangedin each case. The supply means 9 are designed to at least substantiallycover the plant carrier 5 of the transport device 7 assigned in areference plane when the plant carrier 5 with the plants 4 is coupled tothe supply device 10, as shown in particular in FIG. 4.

While the present invention has been illustrated by a description ofvarious embodiments, and while these embodiments have been described inconsiderable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limitthe scope of the appended claims to such detail. The various featuresshown and described herein may be used alone or in any combination.Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to thoseskilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is thereforenot limited to the specific details, representative apparatus andmethod, and illustrative example shown and described. Accordingly,departures may be made from such details without departing from thespirit and scope of the general inventive concept.

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A method for the automated operation of agreenhouse having at least one first plant growth room that is operatedwithout artificial lighting, and at least one second plant growth roomdifferent from the first plant growth room and which is equipped withartificial light sources generating artificial light, the methodcomprising: automatically transporting at least one plant carrierequipped with plants, using an automatically controlled transportdevice, between the first plant growth room and the second plant growthroom; wherein automatically transporting at least one plant carriercomprises: leaving the at least one plant carrier in the first plantgrowth room for the duration of a first time segment, so that the plantsstored on the at least one plant carrier develop without the influenceof artificial light during the first time segment in the first plantgrowth room, and leaving the at least one plant carrier in the secondplant growth room for the duration of a second time period differentfrom the first time peri-od, so that the plants (4) stored on the atleast one plant carrier develop further under the influence ofartificial light in the second plant growth room during the second timeperiod.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the greenhouse has ananalysis station configured to detect a biological state of plants withrespect to at least one biological parameter, the method furthercomprising: automatically transporting the at least one plant carrierfrom the first plant growth room or from the second plant growth room tothe analysis station using the automatically controlled transportdevice, so that the biological state of plants stored on the at leastone plant support can be detected at the analysis station with respectto the at least one biological parameter.
 18. The method of claim 17,further comprising: detecting at the analysis station at least one of agrowth state of the plants, a pest infestation of the plants, a degreeof moisture in a plant substrate of the plants, or a nutrient content ofthe plant substrate of the plants as the biological parameter.
 19. Themethod claim 16, wherein the at least one plant carrier equipped withplants is stored in a mobile shelf stand having at least two storagelevels for carrying plant carriers, and having an access opening betweenthe at least two storage levels, the method further comprising:transporting the mobile shelf stand into the second plant growth roomusing an automatically controlled, floor-bound vehicle as theautomatically controlled transport device; automatically moving themobile shelf stand to a supply device positioned in the second plantgrowth room using the floor-bound vehicle such that supply means of thesupply device reach from outside the mobile shelf stand, beyond theaccess opening of the mobile shelf stand, and into the interior of themobile shelf stand; and supplying the plants present in the plantcarriers using the supply means of the supply device during the time themobile shelf stand is coupled with the supply device.
 20. A supplydevice for a greenhouse, the supply device comprising: a base support;at least two cantilever beams arranged at different heights on the basesupport; each cantilever beam having at least one supply meansconfigured to act on a plant in a plant carrier when the plant carrieris coupled with the supply device; and at least one operating mediumconnection communicating with the supply means and configured to feed atleast one operating medium provided from a supply network to the supplymeans for supplying the operating medium to the plants.
 21. The supplydevice of claim 20, wherein: the operating medium is electrical energy;and the supply means comprises at least one electrical lighting meanswhich is configured, operated by the electrical energy, to send out alight spectrum that promotes plant growth in a direction in which theplants are irradiated with the light spectrum when the plant carrierwith the plants is coupled to the supply device.
 22. The supply deviceof claim 20, wherein: the operating medium is water or a nutrientsolution; and the supply means comprises at least one outlet nozzleconfigured to deliver the water or the nutrient solution such that theplants or a plant substrate of the plants can absorb the water or thenutrient solution when the plant carrier with the plants is coupled tothe supply device.
 23. The supply device of claim 20, wherein: theoperating medium is a negative pressure; and the supply means comprisesat least one suction nozzle configured to remove waste water or usednutrient solution from a plant substrate of the plants by suction whenthe plant carrier with the plants is coupled to the supply device. 24.The supply device of claim 20, wherein: the operating medium isconditioned air; and the supply means comprises at least oneair-conditioning nozzle configured to emit conditioned air so that theplants are acted upon with the conditioned air when the plant carrierwith the plants is coupled to the supply device.
 25. The supply deviceof claim 20, wherein the operating medium connection comprises at leastone coupling means configured, in a state coupled to a counter-couplingmeans of a greenhouse or to a further supply device, to connect the atleast one supply means of the supply device to a supply network so thatthe operating medium can be supplied to the plants via the supply meanswhen the plant carrier with the plants is coupled to the supply device.26. The supply device of claim 25, wherein the operating mediumconnection is formed by at least one coupling means and at least onecounter-coupling means so that two or more supply devices are coupled toone another in series or in parallel such that two or more supplydevices are supplied with the operating medium via a common supplynetwork connection.
 27. The supply device of claim 20, wherein: the atleast two cantilever beams arranged on the base support at differentheights are formed by ceiling walls projecting from the base beam in ahorizontal plane; and each ceiling wall includes a downward-facing wallsurface on which the at least one supply means is arranged and which isconfigured to at least substantially cover the plant carrier of thetransport device assigned in a reference plane when the plant carrierwith the plants is coupled to the supply device.
 28. An automaticallyoperated greenhouse, comprising: at least one first plant growth roomconfigured to be operated without artificial lighting; at least onesecond plant growth room different from the first plant growth room andequipped with artificial lighting for generating artificial light; atleast one supply device according to claim 20 arranged in the secondplant growth room; at least one mobile shelf stand having at least twostorage levels for carrying plant carriers, and having an access openingbetween each two storage levels; at least one floor-bound vehicleconfigured to accommodate the at least one mobile shelf stand such thatthe mobile shelf stand can be transported back and forth between thefirst plant growth room and the second plant growth room using thefloor-bound vehicle; and a control device configured to automaticallycontrol the at least one floor-bound vehicle and the at least one supplydevice arranged in the second plant growth room such that the greenhouseis operated automatically.
 29. The automatically operated greenhouse ofclaim 28, further comprising: an analysis station configured to record abiological state of plants with respect to at least one biologicalparameter when a plant carrier with plants is positioned at the analysisstation; wherein the analysis station comprises sensors configured toautomatically detect as a biological parameter at least one of a growthstate of the plants, a pest infestation of the plants, a degree ofmoisture in a plant substrate of the plants, or a nutrient content ofthe plant substrate of the plants.
 30. The automatically operatedgreenhouse of claim 28, further comprising: a loading station configuredto automatically receive into the greenhouse, or to automatically removefrom the greenhouse, at least one of plants, plant carriers, or mobileshelf stands; wherein the control device is further configured toautomatically transport the mobile shelf stand from the first plantgrowth room or the second plant growth room to the loading station usingthe at least one floor-bound vehicle, and to automatically transport themobile shelf stand back from the loading station into the first plantgrowth room or the second plant growth room.